After playing a mission or two with the herakles, I think it's a good ship. This is the way XCOM used to be, landing and then having to fight your way off the ship. That first step off the ship was the scariest moment. It was something I kind of missed in UFO:AI when we'd land and have our soldiers already deployed, in sometimes not so good patterns. I never really liked it when half the squad is positioned on the side of the ship away from the aliens and lose basically a turn trying to get them to the other side. I like fighting my way off the ship.
That said, some things that might make it better:
- I always wanted the ability to set the order of my troops. Since technically, the moment the door opens we should be ready to go. I'd love to have my assault guys up front ready to head out, my snipers close behind already crouched and ready to acquire targets. Would it be possible to set the order at least of our troops in the drop ship? Maybe just assign numbers to each position and let us order the troops in the squad assignment. You have ways of setting the priority of items on the Production list; could use the same method to move soldiers up and down the list to order them.
- Maybe a window or two on the sides so we can see out? Possibly sniper holes? That would make it easier to figure out what is going on around us. Yes it makes us a target, but I find it hard to believe we'd build a ship with no radar or windows. For a long term idea, maybe put a radar on it and have it highlight the people standing nearby, civies as well as aliens.
- The alien AI needs to learn to hide somewhat. It just rushes the entrance. It's almost too easy to just sit back and wait for them to position themselves at the door to be picked off. Not sure if all the maps have the same issue.
